Former Senate President and People’s Democratic Party presidential aspirant Pius Anyim Pius has said that the Bokoharam became a national crisis because the nation’s leaders treated the issue as a purely Borno state affair.

“The worsening security situation in some regions of the Country is caused by the decision of other parts of the Country not directly affected to see it as their own problem,” he said.

Anyim explained that the insecurity problems in the country were initially being treated as regional matter until it enveloped virtually all regions of the country.

The presidential hopeful made the remarks when he addressed PDP delegates to this year’s national convention of the party at the party’s secretariat in Minna yesterday afternoon.where he also submitted that, “The insecurity across the Country will continue to fester unless Nigerians stop treating the menace as a Regional problem and confront it head-on.”

He therefore advised that “Security issues should not be viewed from the lens of a regional problem, but should be treated as a national problem deserving collective effort to solve”

He told the delegates that if given the opportunity to emerge the party’s flag bearer and subsequently elected president, he will adopt a holistic approach to solving the security challenges confronting the nation.

Ayim said a Federal Government under his watch would ensure that criminals are categorised into natural criminals and those perpetrating their nefarious act due to economic deprivation.

“We have travelled this way before, in 1999 President Obasanjo brought the Niger Delta militants together, Yar’adua took it to another level when he instituted the amnesty programme, today some of those elements are now responsible citizens of this Country

“We have Lecturers, Contractors,professionals in diverse fields from that exercise, this should tell us that there are some youths engaging in criminal activities due to economic deprivation”

“In solving the Security challenges, we should classify those perpetrating their nefarious acts; criminals should be treated as criminals and those doing it due to economic deprivation taken care of,” he reiterated.

Senator Ayim said his campaign will continue to be hinged on reuniting, rebuilding and repositioning the country;” assuring that every Nigerian would be at Liberty to aspire for any position in the country.

Responding, Chairman of the State, PDP, Mr. Tanko Beji noted that that the country was at a critical point which requires “a unifier” and not “a sectional leader.

“We don’t want a southern president nor a Christian president, but a Nigerian President that is committed to the yearning of the teaming youths of the country to fulfill their God given potentials,” he said(THISDAY)